Ep. 523 – Jim Rushton (Sports, IBM)

Jim Rushton has got a special shorthand when talking sports business. Rushton has served in sports business for over 20 years, including CRO of the Miami Dolphins and VP of Sales for Sports Radio WEEI, including Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics, and New England Patriots Monday. Now, Rushton is bringing forth an evangelism of connection with IBM, from the stadium to the fan, in a way that is set to revolutionize the industry. This doesn’t just mean getting another digital advertisement. This means enhancing the stadium experience for a fan altogether. Rushton talks about the changes going on internally throughout the sports industry, how the inside sales model of calling fans for tickets is giving way to a connected one to ensuring additional touchpoints throughout the lifetime membership between the fan and team. Rushton shares his thoughts on one of the more telling things he heard at the 2015 SBJ Ticketing Symposium in Santa Clara in early June, and how it reinforced some of the things he’s talking about today. Twitter: @Jim_Rushton